HONDA CBR900R

918cc Petrol Class 2

#3733 of 5426 overall #677 of 921 HONDAs #178 of 226 sport bikes

79.2%

first-time pass rate

12.5%

failed outright

23,812

median miles at test

727

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2016

The CBR900R's first-time pass rate has risen 5.9 points since 2006, 74.1% to 80.0%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CBR900R's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CBR900R passes first time 87.1% of the time; by 40k that's 67.5%.

First-time pass rate by odometer reading at test, 10,000-mile bands for this model. Mileage is the strongest reliability signal. See the full curve.

What fails on a CBR900R

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	45	27.6	1.1×
brakes	29	17.8	0.8×
steering and suspension	28	17.2	0.9×
tyres and wheels	17	10.4	1.1×
lamps and reflectors	14	8.6	1.0×
reg plates and vin	11	6.7	1.9×
tyres	6	3.7	1.0×
body and structure	5	3.1	1.1×
drive system	4	2.5	0.6×
fuel and exhaust	4	2.5	0.7×

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects. "vs all bikes" is how often this model's tests record a defect in the group, as a multiple of the all-bike rate.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the CBR900R beats 0 of its 4 closest rivals (YAMAHA YZF-R1, HONDA CBR900RR, TRIUMPH DAYTONA).

YAMAHA YZF-R1 84.1% pass · 232k tests HONDA CBR900RR 83.2% pass · 166k tests TRIUMPH DAYTONA 83.6% pass · 113k tests HONDA CBR1100XX 87.1% pass · 105k tests

Rivals share this bike's type and sit within ±30% of its engine capacity, ≥ 5,000 tests. Card colour = better/worse first-time pass rate than the CBR900R.

Pass rate by registration year

how each model-year cohort fares · registration year from first use date

Best year to buy used: 1999 (83.8% pass). Weakest: 1997 (74.4%).

First-time pass rate by the year each bike was first registered (cohorts with ≥ 50 tests). Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.

HONDA CBR900R FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the HONDA CBR900R reliable?

The HONDA CBR900R is less reliable than average for its class: 79.2% of its 727 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #3733 of 5426 models.

What does a CBR900R fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 28% of all defects recorded against failed CBR900R tests.

What is the best year of CBR900R to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1999-registered examples do best (83.8%) and 1997 worst (74.4%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CBR900R last?

The median CBR900R shows 23,812 miles at test, and examples around 40k miles still pass 67.5% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.